Removing pencil marks
 

I have a “rescue” quilt top that was marked with pencil quite some time ago. Part of it I am opting to quilt differently without the design there and some of it has already been remarked to the point of being a mess. I’m handquilting and am coming to a spot that I can complete the quilt and launder it. I have tried the solution using water, alcohol, and a bit of detergent but if is of little success. I need suggestions on how to remove these pencil marks, please. It’s the entire quilt that is a marking rescue!

The only method I know of is the one that you tried: 1 part clear liquid dishwashing detergent (must be clear), 1 part rubbing alcohol, 2 parts water, mix and dab.

I haven’t tried it, but a google search brings up several recommendations to use a liquid detergent and ammonia:

I have a blog on this quilting board where one subject , open for viewing, is:

" How to remove pencil marks from cotton quilts. "

....... Hope this works for you ....... Jane Quilter

Try a little acetone.

I soaked some in Oxy clean once. rubbed them a bit while soaking and it worked well. I still have an old Christmas top to finish one day and it has marks too.

I only had a problem a couple of times w/pencil marks not coming out in regular wash. At that point I used liquid dish soap - straight and scrubbed lightly w/a toothbrush. Also did a couple of more regular machine washings and virtually impossible to see after that. Good luck.

That's great - definitely keeping that information!

I have used LESTOIL---hard to find these days. But a soft toothbrush and lestoil did the trick for me.

I have never tried it, but I was told Fels Naptha soap removes it. I know it removes a lot of tough stains. I have a bar I have used for years. Someone at my kids baseball game told me to use it. It is usually somewhere in the laundry aisle.

Try this product, Sew Clean, sometimes available in LQS but it is easier to find online. It was successful in removing the pencil marks for me, and I have used it on other stains since then.

I have both the blue Dawn and Fels Naptha on hand. Will try both and see what success there is. Still open to more ideas as the solution that has worked in the past failed. I have an idea that perhaps having those marks there for a long time is a factor.

Marks can also be harder to remove if they have been ironed over. I did a demo at guild on this when I showed different marking methods. I didn't try pencil marks.

I had thick regular lead pencil marks on a quilt and had to use Goof Off by Guardsman to remove the marks, I then used some Dawn liquid mixed with water to rinse that out of the area. It is basically like a lighter fluid so you want to rinse it out as soon as you know the pencil marks are gone. Hope it helps.

Have you tried erasing them with a pencil eraser?

Some erasers are more effective than others. It's also quite a bit of effort, but I found that erasing did at least lighten some of the marks.

I have since learned to mark * lightly * !

My DH is an independent technician for Guardsman. Guardsman has sold the Goof Off product, and the formula has changed and it is a more aggressive cleaner now. Just FYI so that you can test it before you use the new product on your quilt.

He suggests trying denatured alcohol on your pencil marks.

Well I googled Quick Go and found it. Got all ready to order then got to the shipping costs. When one adds that ($16.25) to the $13.95 price of the product I decided I would just try and ignore the pencil marks.

Norton Supply has a 12 ounce bottle for $12.95 plus $6.95 handling = $19.90. Shipping is free. That's the cheapest I could find it.

I tried Norton's but they don't seem to have it.

Here is some:
https://www.nortonsupply.com/products/qwikgo-12-oz

Erasing worked for me too. The pencil marks weren't set with an iron first though, and I had to be careful with bias edges. A little of the lead did sink into the threads, but that came out with the normal wash.

All I mark with are crayola washable markers. I wash all finished quilts in Coldwater Tide and they always come out.

Try Resolve. It works on almost any stain. I did a test tonight and the pencil
marks came out just fine. I even ironed one heavy mark and it all came out.
Just be careful when using this product. Read the instructions carefully.
I also wear chemical gloves when I use it. Sensitive skin. ;)